Harley Oliver: Bio

Though best known for his career in television, Harley’s first love was painting. His Great, Great, Great Grandfather was well-known English portrait artist Samuel Massey, who married the sister of his friend and fellow painter JN Rhodes. His Grandfather who, along with Harley inherited the middle name of Rhodes as all first-born sons in his family have done, was also a painter. So it’s hardly surprising that when Harley picked up a brush at the age of eight, he felt a special affinity for the art form.

In the late 1960s Harley went to Wimbledon Art School in London, painting English landscapes in an era of abstract minimalism. Post art school, Harley’s career was in television as an editor at the BBC, then producer and director, making documentaries for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel as well as programs for TV channels in Australia and New Zealand. In between projects he continued to paint, but only recently decided to dedicate the majority of his time to being an artist.